Woman's courage after leg 'practically severed' by truck

Witnesses describe 'absolutely horrid' scene as woman fears for her life after truck pins her against wall.

The CourierPost truck had its back tray down as it reversed and pinned the woman against a wall. Photo / Chris Loufte

Witnesses have described a woman's incredible courage after her leg was almost severed by the rear tray of a reversing truck - and how they assured her she would not die in their arms.

"I heard screaming and then I heard 'help, help, help' ... we ran over and there was a girl, she was up against the wall and her leg was practically severed," said a woman who was on her way to brunch in Auckland with her sister as the event unfolded.

She said the incident was "absolutely horrid". She and her sister tried to comfort and help the badly injured woman, 37, while they waited for paramedics to arrive.

"She was crying out for her babies and was crying out, 'I'm dying, I'm dying' and my sister said to her 'no, you're not dying sweetheart, you're in shock'," the woman said. "Obviously she wasn't feeling any pain and then she just sort of went calm and I was like, oh my God, she's gone."

The witnesses spoke to the Herald about the ordeal yesterday as the victim recovered in Auckland City Hospital.

The woman was running down Richmond Rd in Grey Lynn about 10.30am on Sunday when the truck began reversing towards her with its back tray down. The tray pinned the woman against a wall.